WASHINGTON – Arizona senior Senator Kyrsten Sinema cosponsored the WWII Veterans Hospital and Medical Eligibility Act—bipartisan legislation expanding VA health care system eligibility to all World War II veterans who are not already enrolled. This critical legislation will clear the way for an estimated 10,000 veterans to receive health care and nursing home care.
“Expanding VA health care eligibility to ensure all World War II veterans have access to critical care shows our recognition and thanks for their heroism, sacrifice, and service,” said Sinema, a member of the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee.
The Veterans Health Care Eligibility Act of 1996 opened the VA healthcare system to all veterans of the Spanish American War and World War I by eliminating the means testing for eligibility. The Sinema-backed WWII Veterans Hospital and Medical Eligibility Act builds on that success and opens the VA healthcare system to all World War II veterans who are not already enrolled.
The American Legion supports the WWII Veterans Hospital and Medical Eligibility Act.
Sinema has long been a champion for Arizona veterans and servicemembers. Last year, Sinema’s LEGION Act, which extends American Legion membership to honorably discharged veterans since World War II, and her Protecting Affordable Mortgages for Veterans Act, which safeguards veterans from predatory loan practices and helps them more easily access their earned homeowner benefits, became law.
Last year, Sinema championed into law the bipartisan Sgt. Daniel Somers Network of Support Act, which was named after Sgt. Daniel Somers—an Arizona Army veteran who lost his life to suicide. Sinema’s bipartisan law requires the Department of Defense to work with the American Red Cross to collect from new servicemembers the names of loved ones they consider to be their networks of support. The Department of Defense will provide those individuals with information about benefits and services available to military members. Earlier this month, the Senate passed Sinema’s bipartisan Veterans Network of Support Act—legislation that ensures the VA has a similar system in place to help veterans thrive in civilian life.
